When was the last time you got really excited for a console release? Ripping apart shreds of Christmas paper to reach your shiny new Nintendo 64 type excited…
I have been pretty fazed since the most recent generation transition from Xbox 360/Xbox One, PS3/PS4, and of course the Wii/Wii U debacle. Back in 2005, I built my first gaming-ready computer and in watching gaming trends, apart from certain console-specific exclusives, I haven’t felt the draw back to hitting the mean streets of console-land ever since. I was an avid console gamer from my first Sega Genesis system, and I was surprised to find such an easy transition to PC gaming when I finally made the leap. With the dividing lines between PC and console gaming becoming narrower, the decisions gamers must make about what to play on, requires more work on the part of companies to make their hardware stand out.
I’m sure many of us have at least dabbled in a form of mobile gaming other than our phones, if not having a DS or Vita kicking around collecting dust, outside of road trips or Pokémon title launches. As far back as Game Gear, or the original Game Boy, we’ve been kicking it mobile long before phones received anything more enticing than a game of Snake (and no, I don’t mean MGS). As phone-based mobile gaming has taken control of a strong share in the larger gaming market over the years, handheld gaming systems are struggling to find new ways of enticing consumers.
Enter the Switch.
The Nintendo Switch purports to be an entirely new console experience. Seamlessly switching between an at-home console experience to a handheld one, as its namesake suggests, Nintendo seems to have put all its eggs in a convertible basket in order to try and stay relevant. And dare I say it? I think it’s worked. Players like me who have shied away from the brand as of late are drawn back in not only due to its innovative design, but also its attention to graphics and detail. Still the Nintendo we know and love, it has chosen to evolve and serve a consumer beyond the family-with-kids demographic. Surely, that market is not isolated from this design, and is in truth included, other gamers have more to find in the Switch than any Nintendo console since the 64. The goal to bridge the gap between home and mobile play will not be easy for Nintendo to breach, but they have a solid grasp on their attempt to try. Leading with one of the most gorgeous Zelda games in recent years, certainly helps Nintendo here as well.
While time will tell if the Nintendo Switch will be a hallmark of nex-gen gaming, like we expect to see out of augmented and virtual reality kits, remains to be seen. However, gamers can be sure that the hype is real, and is not unfounded. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on the Switch as it releases this week, and I hope you join me.
What is your opinion on Nintendo’s latest release? Gimmick or game-breaking shift in console design? Let us know in the comments or join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, or Discord!
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